Video & Transcript Research : 'split payment'
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FL
Transcript Highlights:
- , but we also have a kick payment, a maternity kick payment, which is issued to the health plans.
- Okay, can you explain what kick payments are?
- What is a kick payment? I've never heard of it before. A kick payment.
- We call them a capitation payment, but it's your monthly health insurance payment.
- And then the kick payment, we issue a kick payment, which is a separate payment outside of the capitation
Summary:
The Senate Health Policy Committee met to discuss maternal and infant health, beginning with a presentation from New Jersey’s Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority (MiHA). Pamela Taylor described New Jersey’s statewide effort to reduce maternal mortality and racial disparities through the Nurture New Jersey campaign, a strategic plan with more than 80 recommendations, universal home visiting, Medicaid-covered doula care, hospital report cards, limits on non-medically indicated early elective C-sections, and a new maternal and infant health innovation center. Senators asked about doula certification, funding, home visiting, and how New Jersey coordinates across agencies; Taylor said the authority uses quarterly stakeholder meetings, annual summits, and a tracker for recommendations, and that community input helped shape its programs.
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Deputy Secretary Brian Meyer then outlined Florida Medicaid’s maternal coverage and managed care structure. He reviewed eligibility and services for pregnant women, labor and delivery, postpartum coverage, newborn coverage, and family planning, noting 12 months of postpartum coverage, expanded benefits in managed care plans, and new contracts launching February 1 with more maternal-health-focused benefits, quality measures, and a new quality withhold incentive structure. Senators questioned doula certification and duplication with Healthy Start, provider access and network adequacy, kick payments, quality reporting, and whether Florida should consider broader eligibility standards; Meyer said many details are still plan-driven, that quality metrics are public, and that the agency is working on maternal-health work groups and incentives.
Department of Health Division Director Shea Holloway followed with an overview of Florida’s maternal and child health programs and data. She cited Florida CHARTS data showing pregnancy-related deaths, severe maternal morbidity, and infant mortality trends, and described the Title V block grant, the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative, the electronic prenatal risk screen, Healthy Babies, BH Impact for perinatal mental health, Healthy Start, WIC, family planning, telehealth maternity care, and the Pregnancy Care Network. Senators asked about delays in mortality review reporting, preterm birth, substance use disorder in pregnancy, WIC participation, cesarean rates, and the impact of the abortion ban; Holloway said the department is continuing to monitor outcomes, expand screening and telehealth, and use data and hospital partnerships to improve care. The committee then adjourned without further business.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The lump-sum payment this fiscal year is $611,136. It is adjusted every year by inflation.
- You don't know that, and the returns that we have here are net of our payments.
- These returns are net of our annuity payments. We pay monthly.
- We get quarterly payments, so we just today received... And how much did we do?
- I think it's $1.3 billion in GI Bill payments every year at the universities.
Bills:
SB 1
Keywords:
campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards
Summary:
The committee heard budget presentations from the Legislative Budget Board and agency officials on several agencies, starting with the Texas Historical Commission. LBB described a large biennial reduction driven mainly by the removal of one-time funding and discussed capital projects, rider changes, and exceptional items including Presidio La Bahia and the National Museum of the Pacific War. Senators asked about heritage trails, courthouse grants, unexpended balance authority, and the status of historical-site funding. Historical Commission leadership emphasized preservation, courthouse restoration, heritage tourism, coordination with the Alamo and other Texas Revolution sites, and requested additional IT, staffing, and vehicle funding. No votes were taken.
The committee then reviewed the Pension Review Board and the Employees Retirement System. The Pension Review Board’s budget was largely unchanged aside from IT maintenance and salary adjustments, with an exceptional item for additional IT enhancements. Members discussed the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System’s funding dispute and the need for a workable restoration plan. ERS presented a much larger budget, including funding for the retirement system, the group benefits plan, and the legacy payment intended to reduce unfunded liability. Senators focused heavily on pension investment returns, benchmark comparisons, and rising health-care costs, especially pharmacy spending driven by GLP-1 drugs; ERS said the plan covers about 540,000 lives and that premiums would rise 8% while benefits remain unchanged. ERS also said it had no exceptional items, and committee members requested more detailed benchmark information.
The committee also heard from the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. TESSORS reported an unfunded liability, an infinite amortization period, and requested additional state support, staffing, and IT funding, including a statutory change to allow a higher contribution level; the agency warned that without more funding it may have to cut benefits. CEPRIT’s presentation covered its bond-funded cancer research and prevention portfolio, revenue-sharing from funded projects, and a request to increase salary limits for its CEO and chief scientific officer. Senators questioned CEPRIT’s accomplishments and return on investment, while CEPRIT cited screening, prevention, and research outcomes, including tens of thousands of detected cancers and precursors and hundreds of thousands of first-time screenings. The meeting ended after these presentations and questions, with no recorded committee action or vote.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- These quick-cash marketing techniques used by out-of-state companies offer a nominal upfront payment
- These quick-cash marketing techniques used by out-of-state companies offer a nominal upfront payment
- These quick-cash marketing techniques used by out-of-state companies offer a nominal upfront payment
- and these uh Agreements are payment and these uh Agreements are unenforceable<01:35:11.560>
uh - It could be to help pay for their daughter or son with a down payment or whatever it might be.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Legislative Session Day 33 (2-24-26) - Reupload
Kentucky House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- We require that payments be submitted quickly, that claims be submitted quickly.
- We require that<02:00:00.880>
uh <02:00:01.760>payments <02:00:02.639>be <02:00:02.880 - >
submitted <02:00:03.440>quickly, that uh payments be submitted quickly, that uh payments - <02:05:34.400>
the disallow juries from splitting the disallow juries from splitting the insanity - And it finally prohibits split verdicts.
Keywords:
This version of the House chambers was retrieved from back up and uploaded. The original live stream contained issues where audio and video got out of sync., 958, all
Summary:
The House convened with an invocation and pledge, established a quorum, approved the prior journal, and received committee reports on several bills. Reported measures included House Bills 1 and 2 from Appropriations and Revenue, along with bills on animal control officers, emergency services revenue, postsecondary education, proactive postsecondary admission, vehicle lights, motor vehicle operation, motor vehicle dealers, and machine gun conversion devices. The chamber also took up Senate Bills 52 and 124 for concurrence, and House Bill 1 was moved from rules to the orders of the day for immediate action.
The House then considered House Bill 568, which would regulate public adjusters by prohibiting new licenses, allowing renewals for current licensees, imposing conflict-of-interest and contract requirements, capping fees at 5%, and barring adjusters from negotiating claims. Supporters described it as a consumer-protection measure responding to complaints and investigations, especially after recent storm-related exploitation. The bill passed overwhelmingly, 95-1.
The House next debated House Bill 1, which would opt Kentucky into the federal education freedom tax credit program and authorize the Secretary of State to administer the state’s participation without using state general funds. Supporters argued it would bring federal scholarship dollars into Kentucky for K-12 students, including public school students, and could generate significant private donations for scholarship-granting organizations. Opponents raised concerns about shifting resources away from public education, the speed of the process, and a proposed waiver of Eleventh Amendment immunity. A motion to table the bill failed by a wide margin, and members continued debating the bill and its implications for public schools and state sovereignty.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Legislative Session Day 33 (2-24-26)
Kentucky House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- We require that payments be submitted quickly, that claims be submitted quickly.
- >
submitted <01:57:05.679>quickly, that uh payments be submitted quickly, that uh payments - And it finally prohibits split verdicts.
- And it finally prohibits<02:10:28.480>
split <02:10:28.960>verdicts. - So that way, prohibits split verdicts.
Summary:
The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, excused absent members, and suspended rules to allow co-sponsorship and vote modifications. The Senate reported passage of Senate Bills 52 and 124, and several House committees reported favorable action on bills including HB 1, HB 2, HB 94, HB 246, HB 282, HB 299, HB 307, HB 519, HB 613, and HB 648. Most of those measures were ordered to first reading and placed on the calendar; HB 1 and HB 307 were sent to the Rules Committee after having had two previous readings. The House then recessed briefly before returning to the orders of the day.
The chamber took up HB 568, relating to public adjusters. The sponsor explained that the bill would prohibit new public adjuster licenses, allow current licensees to renew, impose conflict-of-interest and contract requirements, set a 5% fee cap, and bar public adjusters from negotiating claims, citing consumer protection concerns and legal opinions about the practice of law. After debate and a brief explanation of vote from a member citing local storm-related abuses, the House voted on roll call and passed HB 568 with one nay vote.
The House then considered HB 1, which would opt Kentucky into the federal education freedom tax credit program. Supporters said it would allow private donations to scholarship-granting organizations to benefit Kentucky students without using state general funds, and argued it could help public, private, and homeschool families with education-related expenses. Opponents criticized the speed of the process, warned it could open the door to vouchers and charters, and argued it would mainly benefit wealthier donors while public schools remain underfunded. Members also questioned the bill’s waiver of 11th Amendment immunity and received explanations that the waiver was limited to federal-court jurisdiction over the federal program and would not create individual liability for state actors. A motion to table the bill failed with 19 votes in favor, and debate continued.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee 3/12/26
Judiciary Finance and Civil Law
Transcript Highlights:
- , then you're both charged because it's split down the middle.
- <00:46:15.280>
So <00:46:15.520>you're <00:46:15.760>charged split down the - So you're charged split down the middle.
- as far as um there being similar payment as far as um there being similar payment structures<00:
- And as far as there being similar payment structures across, I'm not aware of that, but it is—you can
Keywords:
electronic signatures, estate planning, uniform law, legal documents, Minnesota statutes, open meeting law, transparency, public engagement, social media, government accountability, parenting consultant, parenting time, custody, family court, family law, neutral third party, alternative dispute resolution, child custody, visitation, parenting coordinator
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- sure we get across is you gave us the flexibility to not have to do the demographic and geographic split
- I'm going to keep with the Live Local theme here, so our major down payment and closing cost assistance
- The loan is for 30 years, but it's zero percent interest and there's no payments.
- I have a question: how much of the down payment assistance have we retrieved or had collected back from
- We also have the homeowner loan programs and the Hometown Heroes program that provide down payment and
Summary:
The Committee on Community Affairs held its first meeting and heard presentations focused on affordable housing implementation under the Live Local Act. Florida Housing Finance Corporation described its role in administering rental and homeownership programs, including SAIL, SHIP, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, disaster recovery efforts, supportive housing, and the Live Local funding and tax incentives. Officials said the first year’s $150 million Live Local rental allocation was fully committed to 23 developments producing 3,171 units with mixed-income set-asides, and they outlined how projects were selected through competitive solicitations tied to statutory priorities such as mixed-use development, publicly owned land, foster youth, rural areas of opportunity, redevelopment, and housing near military installations. They also discussed the tax credit contribution program, the missing-middle property tax exemption, sales tax rebates, and the year-one ad valorem exemption for qualifying affordable projects.
Members asked detailed questions about the data and program design, including the use of area median income figures, per-unit subsidy levels, county targeting, tenant relocation during redevelopment, and whether the programs were helping lower-income households. Florida Housing said it uses competitive scoring and data from the Schimberg Center and that redevelopment projects are supposed to include tenant relocation plans. The homeownership portion of the presentation covered the Hometown Heroes program, which provides down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time homebuyers, with exceptions for active-duty military and veterans. Staff said the program has assisted more than 21,000 families and leveraged over $6.5 billion in first mortgages, and members asked about repayment rates, credit scores, and whether participants were staying in homes long enough to show the program was serving intended buyers.
The committee then heard from OPAGA on two required Live Local evaluations: affordable housing strategies in other states and affordable housing policies in Florida. OPAGA reported that Florida has a high share of cost-burdened households, with 1.5 million households cost burdened and 1.4 million severely cost burdened, and that Florida’s counties and municipalities reported more than $1.4 billion in affordable housing expenditures in fiscal year 2023-24. The report identified 13 innovative out-of-state programs, with three considered high-potential for Florida implementation, and summarized Florida local government practices such as SHIP-funded homeownership and rental assistance, expedited permitting, mixed-income zoning, rehabilitation programs, and interlocal cooperation. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentations and questions.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
01/20/2026 - Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology
Appropriations, Transportation and Technology
Transcript Highlights:
- Shelters within ACJC, it helps fund victims of crime compensation payments.
- Chair, would we have payments every year during that period? Yes.
- Chair, would we have payments every year during that period? Yes.
- The payments start at $36 million, I believe. It grows to about $110 million in the third year.
- And then $12 million, which the executive describes as H.R.1 mitigation, is actually split into four
Keywords:
roadable aircraft, registration, vehicle title, license plates, aviation safety, corrections oversight, funding, state budget, criminal justice, reform, appropriation, Department of Transportation, right turn lane, traffic improvement, infrastructure funding, transportation funding, authorization, road improvements, intersection safety, transportation
Summary:
The committee began with a JLBC presentation comparing the baseline budget to the governor’s proposal. JLBC said the baseline shows a positive cash balance in each year, with about $577–$578 million available above statutory formulas, but that major items such as tax conformity, state employee health subsidies, school repairs, SNAP administrative changes, and possible SNAP error-rate costs are not fully funded. JLBC also reviewed executive revenue and spending proposals, including border-security funding, sports betting tax changes, data-center tax changes, short-term rental and water surcharges, and several one-time items that JLBC said appear to be ongoing in practice. Members questioned SNAP error rates, Medicaid/Access enrollment and costs, possible fraud involving Access-to-Marketplace shifting, prison receivership risk, and the need for more oversight of waste and fraud.
The committee then heard and passed SB 1032, which appropriates $1.5 million to fund the Independent Correctional Oversight Office created last year. The sponsor and several advocates said the office is needed to provide independent oversight, improve transparency, help whistleblowers, and reduce the risk of federal receivership over the prison system. Testimony from advocacy groups and former incarcerated individuals strongly supported the bill, and the committee approved it 10-0.
Next, the committee considered several transportation appropriations. SB 1064 would provide $3 million to Flagstaff for improvements along U.S. Route 66; the mayor and local planning officials described safety problems, congestion, and housing growth along the corridor, while some members objected to using general fund dollars for roads instead of HURF and to bypassing the normal transportation board process. The bill passed 7-3. SB 1059 would appropriate $9.2 million for a right-turn lane at SR 87 and SR 260 in Payson, and SB 1062 would appropriate $1 million for a left-turn lane at US 60 and Superstition Mountain Drive in Gold Canyon; both were supported by local witnesses citing congestion and safety concerns and both received do-pass recommendations, 7-3 and 6-4 respectively. The committee also began hearing SCR 1004, a voter-referral measure to prohibit photo enforcement systems, with the sponsor and public commenters arguing that photo radar is unconstitutional, abusive, and tied to ticket revenue, but the transcript cuts off before any committee action on that measure.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- This bill seeks to prevent criminals from tampering with the payment terminals and metering devices at
- The offense of interference with a motor fuel metering device or motor fuel unattended payment terminal
- This sophisticated form of crime involves tampering with fuel metering devices and payment systems.
- Representative Little, now we split the colony where the person who brought this bill forward serves
- In that split second, it was either get her to safety and not help the unlawful. unfolding situation,
Bills:
HB316, HB353, HB 1160, HB1414, HB1422, HB1443, HB1713, HB1789, HB1902, HB2073, HB2666, HB2695, HB316
Keywords:
motor fuel, criminal offense, metering device, organized crime, Texas Penal Code, trespassing, school safety, day-care centers, education, trespass, public safety, utility employees, criminal penalties, assault, harassment, public duties, safety, law enforcement, driving offenses, license regulations
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- There's one major section split into three individual parts.
- There's one major section split into three individual parts.
- <01:13:56.520>
into There's one major section split into There's one major section split into - <01:21:01.440>
can <01:21:01.600>be delinquent in filing or payment can be delinquent - in filing or payment can be placed<01:21:02.080>
on <01:21:02.200>the <01:21:02.280>
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- They can't get their payments because that parent just isn't going to work.
- Judgments for credit cards and judgments for non-payment of taxes, as Ms.
- Interest on that payment?
- I think it's pretty clear that interest is a deterrent to non-payment.
- That a trained professional will be able to split out.
Keywords:
business court, civil procedure, litigation, jurisdiction, arbitration, divorce, property division, family law, court jurisdiction, marital assets, parent-child relationship, birth certificate, identity proof, Family Code, court process, attorney fees, court costs, legal expenses, dispute resolution, child support
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
House Minerals, Business & Economic Development Committee, February 23, 2026
Minerals, Business & Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- You know, it's a 50/50 split, but we end up with 48%.
- You know, it's a 50/50 split, but we end up with 48%.
- You know, it's a 50/50 split, but we end up with 48%.
- You know, it's a 50/50 split, but we end up with 48%.
- a 50/50 split, but we end up with 48%. a 50/50 split, but we end up with 48%.
Bills:
SJ0001
Keywords:
mineral leasing, federal lands, Wyoming, energy policy, local control, federalism, 916, all
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
EEP Public Hearing - Tue Feb 4, 2025 @ 9:00 AM HST
Energy & Environmental Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- Is it a 50-50 split between the two funds? It is.
- state is it the economic drivers for our state is it a<00:32:43.360>
50-50 <00:32:43.880>split - I mean, is your position it should be a 50-50 split?
- I mean, well, have the utility pay with a... pay more, pay more, a more equitable split.
- <01:50:58.199>
they <01:50:58.360>make their investment for payments they make their
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1077, a governor’s administration bill to increase transient accommodations tax revenue and split it between two new special funds: a climate mitigation and resiliency special fund and an economic development and revitalization special fund for tourism/resort areas. Supporters, including the Governor’s Office, recovery and resilience staff, climate and conservation groups, and several state agencies, said the bill would create a dedicated, more reliable funding stream for wildfire mitigation, coastal resilience, land clearing, infrastructure, and community-led projects. Some supporters also urged changes to the bill, including moving the fund to DLNR, adding DHHL and OHA representation, clarifying community grants, and ensuring the fund can support both state-led and community-led resilience work.
The Attorney General’s office flagged a drafting issue, noting that the bill references fees deposited into the new fund even though the new chapter does not authorize fee collection, and recommended deleting that language or adding fee authority. The Climate Advisory Team representative also suggested adding DHHL to the decision-making body and requiring at-large members to have climate, resilience, conservation, or infrastructure expertise. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii and the Kohala Coast Resort Association opposed the measure, arguing that the special fund structure does not meet statutory criteria, that the bill functions as a tax increase, and that the transient accommodations tax is not being collected equitably across all lodging types before any increase is imposed.
Other opponents, including tourism and lodging interests, warned that hotels and timeshares already bear most of the tax burden and that raising the TAT could hurt an already struggling visitor industry and drive tourists away. Supporters countered that current funding is far short of what is needed and that a dedicated revenue stream is necessary to address climate impacts now. Committee members questioned why the Legislature should cede spending decisions to a separate executive-branch process, and the administration responded that the bill is intended to create a transparent, recurring mechanism for funding priorities that can be adjusted over time. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The lump sum payment this fiscal year is $611,136. John Posey: ...
- The returns that we have here are net of our payments.
- This is net of our annuity payments we pay monthly. These returns are.
- We get quarterly payments. So we just today received quarterly payments.
- We get quarterly payments. So we just today received quarterly payments.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee 3/4/26
Elections Finance and Government Operations
Transcript Highlights:
- council staff are required to review all those submissions by July 15th each year and make initial payment
- council staff are required to review all those submissions by July 15th each year and make initial payment
- council staff are required to review all those submissions by July 15th each year and make initial payment
- So, at the risk of making this more complicated, I asked staff to split up some of the Senate amendments
- up kind of some of the staff to split up kind of some of the Senate<00:34:18.560>
uh <00:34:19.520
Keywords:
tribal governments, Metropolitan Council, grant programs, funding, local government, small business, contracting, veteran-owned businesses, compliance, government contracts, housing finance, reporting requirements, regional development, city programs, elected officials, campaign access, multiple unit dwellings, residential access, voter registration, 1183
Summary:
The committee met on March 4, 2026, and first approved the minutes from March 2 by voice vote. It then took up several Metropolitan Council agency bills, with members repeatedly moving to lay them over for possible inclusion or, in one case, to re-refer a bill to another committee. The first three bills discussed were House File 3884, House File 3881, and House File 3882, all presented as administrative or programmatic changes intended to streamline Met Council processes.
House File 3884 would allow tribal governments and tribal development entities to apply directly for Metropolitan Council Livable Communities Act grants and community tree planting grants, rather than applying through a city or other local government. Testimony from Met Council staff said the bill would simplify access and align the Met Council’s tree-planting program with existing DNR authority. House File 3881 would expand the Met Council’s contracting authority to include small businesses more broadly, require an annual report to the legislature on small-business contracting, and repeal a duplicative statute on certificates of compliance. House File 3882 would make a range of administrative cleanups, including removing an obsolete housing-bond review role, clarifying outdated statutory language, extending the review cycle for metropolitan significance rules from every two years to every 10 years, clarifying reporting and Livable Communities Act provisions, changing regional parks operations-and-maintenance reimbursements to rely on audited financial statements, and clarifying agricultural preserves procedures.
The committee also considered House File 3883, which was amended with an A1 amendment before adoption. That bill updates appointments to the Metropolitan Area Water Supply Advisory Committee, known as MOSAC, including direct appointments for certain county representatives and adding a tribal representative appointed by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, while also cleaning up outdated language and eligibility provisions. A former MOSAC member spoke in support of the committee’s work, and the chair said the bill was common-sense and renewed the motion to lay it over as amended. Finally, the committee began House File 3363, a bill described by the author as a response to safety concerns after the June events, aimed at removing public access to legislators’ home addresses from Campaign Finance Board materials; discussion had just begun when the transcript ended.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Protection and Victim Services Committee May 13th, 2026 at 09:00 am
Protection and Victim Services Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- But even, you know, just splitting...” “...what effective co-parenting looks like.
- But even just splitting households, there definitely has an impact on the attachment relationships for
- And so we receive a fee-for-service payment there.
- But what I would say is, as we know with Medicaid, the payment doesn't even come... ...access some of
- Gaming machines and we split some of those dollars.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Floor Session: 2025 First Special Session - part 3 Jun 9th, 2025
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Thank goodness we had a split house. As Chair Aikam mentioned...
- We Cut sustainable forest initiative payments by 10%, and I think that's a very important number because
- We did not cut PILT payments at all, payment in lieu of taxes.
- With a House evenly split 67-67.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:42:51.359>
to purpose of making payments to purpose of making payments to communities< - So we've been getting 30% principal and interest payments on our own annual payment on our debt.
- The Department of Environmental Services certifies it for payment.
- it goes to the governor it for payment it goes to the governor counsel<01:20:31.320>
can't <01 - I don't think you can split those out unless the principal was paid off, right?
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate Committee on Health and Human Services Apr 2nd, 2025
Health & Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- They split the cost savings with the insurance company, 50-50.
- Or they can go to the lower cost option, and they're able to split the cost savings, and now instead
- It could be a down payment on a car kind of level. for a test.
Keywords:
healthcare, training, abuse, neglect, penalties, chemical dependency, safety, regulation, inpatient competency restoration, competency restoration, forensic mental health, mental health law, criminal competency, incompetent to stand trial, Chapter 46B, HHSC, Health and Human Services Commission, state hospital, behavioral health, local mental health authority
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Child Custody Review Task Force Feb 23rd, 2026 at 10:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- , and then we set a payment plan and they pay the county back, you know, that might be an option.
- Thank you. by the parties subject to reimbursement and then we set a payment plan and they pay them back
- Because now we're splitting hairs again on this because it seems like all of this is all here.
- When I started practicing law in 1996 in Grand Forks, Grand Forks had a split bench.
- So it might be an advantage to have it split into two different bills.
Summary:
The Child Custody Review Task Force met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and reviewed a memorandum compiling member suggestions for possible legislation. The memo grouped ideas into topics including creation of a family court, expanded education for parents, attorneys, and judges, expedited hearings for parenting-time violations, limiting law enforcement involvement in custody disputes, creating parenting time expediters, and adopting more uniform court procedures. Members also discussed whether to form subcommittees, but the task force decided to continue working as a full committee rather than create subcommittees at this time.
The committee then heard testimony from Dr. John Perez, a mental health professional, who described his personal custody experience and his professional work with families he believes have been affected by parental alienation. He argued for stronger education, faster court response times, and better tools to address intentional interference with parenting time. Members questioned him about his case history, the concept of parental alienation, and whether specialized family courts or judges with family-law training could help. Dr. Perez said a dedicated family court and faster hearings would likely have helped his situation.
The task force spent substantial time discussing the possible creation of a family court. Judge Hovey supported the idea of a specialized family court or at least a study of one, saying family cases are distinct from ordinary adversarial litigation and that judges with family-law experience could better handle them. Several members agreed that a family court could improve consistency, expertise, and speed, but others cautioned that the task force’s current directive is focused on enforcement of existing orders rather than broader custody policy, and noted that voters had previously rejected equal shared parenting proposals. The group also discussed expedited procedures for parenting-time disputes, with Judge Hovey suggesting a 30-day hearing timeline may be workable.
On education, members generally supported requiring parents to complete a parenting education course and adding educational materials explaining court process, child support, and what judges can and cannot do. Mr. McLean suggested a short instructional video for litigants and more family-law education for judges and attorneys, while Ms. Moldenhauer said education could be incorporated into scheduling orders or mediation orders. Members also discussed the Parents Forever course, including whether it should be mandatory in all counties and whether cost is a barrier; no vote was taken on any of these proposals.